


Leaving

by SerenityWritesSlash (Starlinghue)



Category: Free!
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Haruka getting upset, subtle MakoHaru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-11
Updated: 2014-09-11
Packaged: 2018-02-17 00:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2291033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlinghue/pseuds/SerenityWritesSlash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruka Nanase hadn't cried since he was twelve years old, when his grandmother died. Even then, he'd only shed a few tears, because he knew she'd want him to be strong. He hadn't even cried when Rin ran away, or whenever he got hurt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leaving

**Author's Note:**

> Set directly after Haruka ran away from Makoto in Season 2, episode 11.  
> If you think Haru didn't cry offscreen, that's cool, but I know he was on the brink of a total emotional meltdown and I simply had to write it.

_"...I have decided."_

Haruka felt like throwing up, the world was spinning around him, and it was so hard to keep running straight. He'd never ran this fast in his life, but right now, he couldn't stand the idea of being caught. Especially after all the things he'd said.

_"I'm going to study at a University in Tokyo."_

His lungs were burning, desperate for him to breath properly, but there was a lump in his throat. Haruka blinked his eyes, which were beginning to feel warm, almost like they were getting zapped by some form of electricity.

_"I wanted to tell you sooner, but..."_

Haruka reached the stairs; the stairs Makoto was always at the bottom of, the stairs he was so used to referring to as the path that joined their homes together. That same staircase Makoto had tried to call out to him on just yesterday...

A firework went off, the sound splintering through the night sky, as sickeningly loud as a gunshot.

He was going away.

Haruka felt the stinging get worse, then he felt his knees wobble, and finally, he couldn't take it anymore. Regionals, swimming, those things Nagisa and Rei said to him, Rin clinging to Sousuke and crying, Makoto's eyes filled with hurt, it all crashed down on him at once.

Haruka Nanase hadn't cried since he was twelve years old, when his grandmother died. Even then, he'd only shed a few tears, because he knew she'd want him to be strong. He hadn't even cried when Rin ran away, or whenever he got hurt.

But this time, he couldn't stop himself.

_"We're only telling you these things because we love you, Haru! We care about you!"_

Then why are you leaving?

Haruka threw his head back and let out a sob, all the unshed tears he'd pent up inside him throughout the years came pouring out all at once, and soon he was bawling loudly and without control. Fireworks sparkled in the distance, and he felt himself sink to his knees, clinging to the rail of the staircase. Makoto, who was always there for him, even when everyone else turned their backs. Makoto, who's hand was always hovering above his head to pull him out of the water. _Makoto_ , his best friend, was leaving.

If he was screaming, he didn't notice. Haruka couldn't describe what was happening to him at that exact moment, but he could feel everything. A thousand images flashed in his mind, but all he kept coming back to was Makoto's drawn eyebrows and quivering lip, and his big, warm hand letting him go. Leaving. Floating. It brought back memories of him dragging the unconcious body of his friend out of the churning sea, and how horrified he'd been at the idea of Makoto dying right there on the beach. This, like that time, made him feel like his heart would leap through his chest.

He had no dreams, no future, no place for himself. And now, Haruka didn't even have Makoto.

The walk up the stairs was a dizzy one, his body exhausted from the sheer effort of crying, and tears kept pooling out of his eyes, as if all the liquid in his body was leaving him with Makoto. The moment he was inside, Haruka slammed his door shut, clung to his hair, and let out a wheezy gasp of air.

That lump in his throat had gotten bigger, and he was struggling to breathe so much, it felt like regionals all over again. But, no. This was worse; he'd only lost a race then, but now he'd lost his best friend.

By the time he got to his room, the tears were running out, and he was managing to weakly hiccup some air into his lungs, but everything hurt. His head, his heart, his eyes, hell, even his nose hurt.

How could Rin cry so much? It felt _awful_.

Carelessly tearing off his clothes, Haruka climbed into bed and bundled himself up in his duvet, wishing the whole day had been nothing but a new nightmare.

All night, he lay there, curled up and crying himself out, staring at the wall with such spite, he wondered if a hole would be drilled through it. Haruka couldn't remember if he'd slept or not until the doorbell started ringing, and it occurred to him it was morning.

It was probably Makoto. Hiking his covers up higher, Haruka closed his eyes and hoped he didn't look like a mess. The doorbell rang on; if it were Makoto, he would have stopped and come in the back by now. Or, maybe after last night, Makoto felt too guilty for even that.

It kept ringing, and ringing, and ringing.

Finally, Haruka had heard it enough. Rage boiled over him, and he begrudgingly sat up, all but stomping down the steps to the front door.

"Who is it?" He asked, cracking the door open so that only his face (bad call, he'd sobbed his eyes out last night and looked like shit) was peeking out. To his surprise, it wasn't Makoto, but Rin standing there. "Rin?"

"Haru," Rin stared back at him, his gaze unimpressed. "You're coming with me." He said, his voice unusually cool.

Haruka straightened up, puzzled. "...Where?"

Rin snorted, "To Australia, of course."

And after the night he'd been through, Haruka didn't have the strength to refuse.


End file.
